Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-11-11
COMMUNICATIONS.

why the Old state House should Go.
To the Editor of the JOURNAL. AND COURIER:
The sympathies of old people with old
buildings are just and natural. But the old
people are continually passing away and the
old buildings also, unless renewed. There
| are some buildings that ought to be preserved
on account of historic associations, or on ac-
| count of special form and beauty Is the
! old State House worth preserving for historic
reasonss If not, is it for its special form and
beauty? Let US see. Supposing the Parthe-
non to have been the ideal-am 1 right in
thinking the Parthenon had row of magni
hcent solid stone columns, not merely at the
ends but all along the sides also? Or was it
some other temple that had a magnificent
frieze, also Pan Hellenic procession carved
all along above those splendid columnsa
8The.. exterior of public buildings impresses
the eye by correctness of proportions, suita-
bleness Of design to use and the many ex-
ternal details that give beauty and finish.
This proportion and design was never suita-
BILE for a State House, nor for the Green.
Unless the details carried out externally
as the whole design of noted Greek temple
requires it is in vain to ague that the
length, breadth and height are correct. All
the massive solidity and exquisite finish are
wanting.
The day of shams is going by The brick
work and floors and solid masonry out of
sight, though very good, add nothing to the
barren and superficial exterior. They may
be made very useful. That is another con
sideration.
once knew man who had quite large
farm and dairy in pleasant township, and
he built an immense large and long barn to
accommodate all the cattle and the hundred
tons, more or less, of hay required by them.
Yet the useful barn was no ornament to the
otherwise beautiful landscape, but then it
fa,, @1o - sol,
obliged to look at it long. Economically,
suppose he was right, also in placing it as he
did near the center of his farm. But it is
not SO regards this old State House. It s
not high and lifted up and shining from afar
like the ancient temple in the Acropolis.
This is too large for its immediate surround
ings and positively too barren and dreary as
to its long sides ever to be pleasant where it
stands.
What say is not dictated by personal in-
convenience, live two miles away where
can see East Rock and the beautiful monu-
ment thereon from my windows, and the
river and the hills and external nature in
general and remember that God made the
country, but man made the towns. But as
for this building, don't see how New Ha-
veners stand it or let it stand where it is.
The Green has been celebrated for long,
long time. The churches thereon are historic
in their associations with the past and ought
to remain. The associations of State will in
evitably cluster more and more about the
beautiful edifce at Hartford, not simply use
full, but very ornamental to Hartford and
credit to the State. Yes, I have seen some
public buildings in New York, Philadelphia,
Boston, Albany, Detroit, Chicago and other
places and do not remember one that comes up
up to our present beautiful State House on its
own site. On the other hand, have never
elsewhere seen any city park or noted green
dishgured by such a great, ,dreary sham as the
building in question. Cities impress stran-
gers and visitors to their credit or discredit
by their historic and public buildings. Not
only so, but impress their own citizens and
their children to educate them. Your
churches are not yet magnificent enough to
make any decided impression, as the Parthe-
non did upon all Greece, and Athens in par
ticular.
Your Yale college or rather university
does make an impression by its historical site
and venerable buildings, by the many new
and beautiful ones. Although an alumnus
of another college, I hope, in addition to
many other new and beautiful buildings still
to grow in solid masonry with the solid char
acter transmitted from the past to the pres
ent and the future in this world renowned
university say hope it will also in due
time have grand collegiate church towering
above all the rest. sort of cathedral for the
learning and religion of New Haven to gath
er in on due occasions, and long before that day
I would hope the Old State House had passed
away from the presence of the university and
from the Green forever.
With the historic associations of Yale col
lege and her present and growing prestige
New Haven does not need any deserted State
House nor the remnant of one New Haven
is able to do better, SO thinks a descendant
of the Jones', of that Jones who was son in
law to Theophiius Eaton. B.